Defining the Battle Lines
This exhibition presents more than a century of analysis on gender liberation spanning the globe.
The poster-based installation accompanies the book launch of Not My Sister: Proletarian Women Define the Battle Lines, edited by T. M. Cabrera and co-published by Revolting Press and Onomatopee.
Not My Sister represents three critical works from lesser-known but brilliant scholars. From early revolutionary Soviet Union to Depression-era New York to guerilla camps in rural India, each perspective defines the goal of gender liberation, illuminates what solidarity looks like, and articulates what it takes to bring this goal to fruition. The posters in the exhibition are a synthesis of the three texts; each set color coded.
Designer Marthe (Vannieuwen) Huyse transformed the three texts — The Social Basis of the Woman Question by Alexandra Kollontai, Philosophical Trends in the Feminist Movement by Anuradha Ghandy and The Bronx Slave Market by Ella Baker and Marvel Cooke — into a series of posters by pulling forth core concepts, essential quotes and imagery, bringing each book to life in the space.Visitors were invited to read the graphic posters displayed on the black exhibition tables, and draw or write their own personal reactions on post-it notes.
Onomatopee compiled visitor post-it notes, scanned them to risograph, and printed out a composite of audience questions, drawings and feedback to display on the wall.